How I make complex decisions with variables.
When having to make a hard decision with multiple variables intertwined I often become stressed and find it hard to find a way forward. As this happens every now and then, I’ve learned to deal with it. This is how.
This scenario is fictional, and used to illustrate my point.
I’m going to apply for a job. If I don’t get that, I’ll apply for University, and either way I’m going to be fine. If I get the job, I’m going to have to move, but if I get in to the university, I’ll stay in my apartment. The job depends largely on my application, which I’ve put all the effort I could in to, and it’s now out of my hands.
The variable here is mainly whether or not I get the job, because I’m fairly sure about Uni. But I’ll add another layer later on to the scenario after the first run through.
I establish the two different scenarios, and I put them out on a simple flow chart. In this case it would be something like this:
Do I get the job?
Yes → I move and take the job.
No → I Take the university studies.
A good thing to do at the same time is to establish a timeline where the different parts have to lock in. In this case, I probably know when the job is going to be safe, and I’ll get to make my decision from there.
But if we’re adding another layer of complexity to this, let’s say I don’t know whether or not I’ll be able to get an apartment in time to take the job. And on to that, I’ll have a deadline to claim my spot at University. It’ll look something like this.
Do I get the job?
Yes → I say yes to the job, and start looking for an apartment.
When do I need to have gotten an apartment? → Before deadline closes at University.
What do I do in case I don’t find an apartment on time? → Don’t take the job.
—
Do I get the job?
No → I take the university studies.
Do I know when the deadline closes for Uni? → Yes
And I go on to do the same for every variable I have worrying myself at the time. It’s really helped me making decisions that have bugged me, and it eases my mind so that I can focus on what I have to do at the moment. It doesn’t remove stress all and all, but it definitely helps. Hope it helps you as well.
Notes:
— I do all of this on paper, and redo it until I feel comfortable with all of the variables.
— I try to twist and turn the variables as much as I can, giving them both the benefit of doubt and the worst case scenarios. The flow charts usually get pretty extensive as soon as there are more than a couple of variables.
